Cautionary reflections on Seattle

The so-called 'Battle of Seattle' against a Millennium Round of trade liberalisation negotiations highlighted widespread disquiet about neoliberal globalisation. This event also suggested that popular mobilisation can hinder or even reverse this policy course. However, we must not exaggerate the scale of change represented by popular disruption of the proceedings in Seattle. Nor should we overestimate the capacities or take for granted the democratic credentials of civil society opposition to neoliberalism, Regrettably, too, the demonstrators of Seattle offered relatively little vision of an alternative, better world order